Welcome to
Graduate School
Orientation for LTE
Teaching Programs
PROGRAM COORDINATORS
• DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE STUDIES-DR. SUSAN SANTOLI
ssantoli@southalabama.edu
• ELEMENTARY/EARLY CHILDHOOD-DR. REBECCA GILES
rgiles@southalabama.edu
• SECONDARY-DR. SUSAN MARTIN
ferguson@southalabama.edu
• SPECIAL EDUCATION-DR. ABBIE BAXTER
abaxter@southalabama.edu
• Art - DR. PAIGE VITULLI
pvitulli@southalabama.edu
PAWS
• PERSONAL ACCESS WEB SYSTEM (PAWS)
– View financial aid statements
– View and update demographic information
– View Catalog and current Schedule of Classes
– Reset your PIN
– Register for classes
– View your unofficial transcript
– View your student information
– Pay your tuition, fees, housing and some fines
– View or print your class schedule
– View your Holds
– View your mid-semester and final grades
– Conduct a degree evaluation including What If Scenarios
Advising
• PAWS will also tell you who your advisor is
• Very important—consult with your advisor before registering for
classes
– Which terms courses are offered
– Prerequisite coursework
– Sequence of courses within the program
– Courses appropriate for your degree program
– Deadlines, policies
Registering for Classes
• Consult with your advisor
• Schedule of classes online
• You will need the crn (5 digit number after the course name)
• Follow the steps on PAWS
• If a course is closed or you are unable to register, let your advisor knowinclude the exact error message if you’ve received one and your J number.
The course instructor must give permission for you to be in a closed class.
• For graduate students, 6-10 hours is considered full-time
– You must have permission from your advisor and the department to take more than 10
hours
• You may not register with holds on your record
JAG CARDS (student id)
•
Must present one form of photo id and current class schedule
•
Meal plans
•
Attend USA sporting events
•
Access to Recreation Center
•
Check out materials at the University Library
•
Access to some residence halls
•
Get newspapers via the Campus Readership Program
•
Make purchases at Mobile area merchants in accordance with the Jag Cash off-campus
program
•
Purchase discounted tickets through Jaguar Productions
•
Access to Student Center computer lab
Parking Permits
• Anyone who operates a motor vehicle on the USA campus is required
to register his/her vehicle with Parking Services and obtain a valid
parking permit. This includes all employees, faculty, staff, designated
guests, administrative officials, and all students. Regulations apply to
students enrolled in day, evening, weekend, online web classes, and
all enrolled students at other locations including Baldwin County,
Brookley, and Dauphin Island Sea Lab.
• Students must register online for a parking permit. Select Manage My
Parking Account to access your parking account and follow the
instructions for ordering a parking permit.
Students who are registered with Student Disability Services and require
handicapped parking access or temporary special parking must also
register in person at Parking Services. Contact the office of Student
Disability Services at 251-460-7212 for further information.
Academic Standards
• Grades of D cannot be used toward degree requirements
• You must maintain a 3.0 program GPA to remain in graduate
school
– If GPA< 3.0, you will be put on academic probation and have two terms
to bring your GPA up to at least 3.0
– If you do not improve your GPA to 3.0 in two semesters, you will be
dismissed by the Graduate School
– Even if you maintain a 3.0 program GPA, only TWO grades of C can be
used toward degree requirements
• You must have an overall GPA of 3.0 to graduate (3.25 for ED.S.
and Ed. Admin programs)
Academic Standards
• Time limits
– Students in Master’s and Ed.S. degree programs have 7 years from first
course taken to complete their programs
– Doctoral students have 10 years to complete their programs
Foliotek
• ONLY for students in initial certification programs
• The College of Education uses student portfolio assessment as a part of
program requirements and assessment of student learning outcomes.
Students majoring in the College of Education are required to purchase the
license ($30.00 per year) to use Foliotek beginning with the first College of
Education course (which contains teacher education standards) taken and
continue to use the software throughout their program of study. See course
syllabus to determine if course requires the Foliotek assessment license.
• In general, the process consists of students submitting evidence/artifacts
related to the knowledge, skills, or abilities taught in a course or internship. The
professor evaluates the student based on a standardized scoring rubric and
the results are kept in an electronic database. The progress of the student in
meeting the required competencies is monitored throughout their program.
• Foliotek Support webpage:
http://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/coe/foliotek.html
Comprehensive Exams
• All graduate students at USA must pass a comprehensive exam in
order to receive a degree
– Ed.S. students submit a research project in lieu of a written exam
• You should take your comprehensive exam in your last semester of
coursework or after you have completed all coursework
• You must apply to take the comprehensive exam by the stated
deadline to sit for the exam
• The exams are given on specific dates
• Some study guides are available online
• Beginning with 2015-2016 admissions, graduate students may repeat
the exam no more than twice.
Graduation!!!
• You must apply for graduation one term before your anticipated
graduation
– Apply for graduation by specific deadlines
– Apply online or in person in the Registrar’s Office
Office of Graduate Studies
• Ms. Jamie Lett
Academic Record Specialist
UCOM 3365 (Advising Center)
251-380-2630
jlett@southalabama.edu
• Dr. Susan Santoli
Director of Graduate Studies
UCOM 3606 (Dean’s Suite)
251-380-2836
ssantoli@southalabama.edu